Fello is a peer support platform intended to address loneliness. It launched officially after raising $10.4 million. The Chicago-based firm was founded by multi-entrepreneur Alyssa Pollack, former member of the Uber Eats founding team and she now serves as CEO of the firm and her area of expertise is product development and business strategy. Fello has attracted investment from notable firms, including 62Ventures, The Capital Factory Fellowship Fund, Katalyst Capital, and Offline Ventures.

Launched this fall, Fello operates as a virtual marketplace connecting individuals experiencing loneliness with trained, vetted Fellos—peer counselors who use their lived experiences to provide support. The platform enables users to book virtual check-ins with a peer counselor for a 30-minute session at $40. Pollack emphasizes that Fello provides a more accessible and scalable alternative to traditional therapy, which may not be affordable or available for everyone in need.

Pollack likens the need for peer support to a common health issue. Fello, using technology and the gig economy’s operational models, develops a scalable solution for providing emotional support that offers flexibility in both users and peer counselors alike.

Loneliness and social isolation are major concerns; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe them as widespread problems that negatively affect both mental and physical health. The CDC further reports that one-third of U.S. adults suffer from loneliness, which has been associated with increased risks for heart disease, depression, dementia, and early mortality.

Although therapy has become more mainstream, Fello aims to address gaps in the mental health support system. Co-founders Jeff Werring and Pete Kadens, who had themselves gone through experiences with addiction and recovery, identified the need for a peer-to-peer support system that could offer long-term help. Pollack, an outsider brought in as chief executive, has experience running both tech and social-impact ventures, having co-founded Uber Eats and led startups focused on sustainability and fertility.

The leadership team of Fello includes experts from a wide variety of fields, including marketing, health, and technology. The platform currently covers support for relationships, parenting, and substance use, and they plan to expand to more topics in the near future.